We stopped at our favourite post mill in Bléré yesterday (see below) and I saw this little winegrower’s hut opposite that I had never noticed. I love the wine trained in the shape of a wreath – not to mention the wind vane! Nous nous sommes arrêtés hier à notre moulin cavier préféré à Bléré …
Category Archives: Historical buildings
More Corners – Un autre coin de rue
Another amazing corner building, this time in Orléans, but mostly brick and half-timbering, an unusual combination. It’s on Rue du Poterne, in a newly renovated area of the city just opposite the Loire. Encore une construction d’angle, cette fois-ci à Orléans, mais surtout en brique et pans de bois un mélange inhabituel. Elle se trouve …
Brick & Stone in Orléans – Brique et pierre à Orléans
We came across this brick and stone house in Orléans recently. It’s in Rue Catherine and I think it’s 17th century. An amazing juxtaposition. Nous avons vu cette maison en brique et pierre à Orléans récemment. Elle se trouve rue Catherine et semble dater du 17ème siècle. Une juxtaposition étonnante.
Postcard #15 – Spissky Hrad, Slovakia
Spissky castle in eastern Slovakia, one of the largest fortified sites in central Europe, can be seen from afar. It was built in the 12th century. Before 1464 it belonged to the kings of Hungary and resisted Tatar attacks in the 13th century. A gothic basilica was added during the 13th century and a …
Roses and Salt – Roses et sel
This beautiful setting for roses of every type is at Place du grenier à sel in Blois, once the site of a salt storehouse. The second photo was taken at dusk, just ten days earlier. Ce bel écrin de roses de toutes sortes se trouve à la place du grenier à sel à Blois. La deuxième …
The Old Presbytery – Le vieux presbytère
Today we participated in a series of private visits organised by a group called “Maisons paysannes de France” (Country Houses of France). This was the last, an old presbytery in Feings, most of which was built in the 18th century, though some parts are much older. The weather was perfect, which helped! Aujourd’hui nous avons …
Abbaye de la Guiche
We have often seen the sign to Guiche Abbey but it was not until we went exploring on our new electrically-assisted bikes today without having to worry about hills that we finally discovered it. We had to shelter from a downpour on the way! Once a Poor Clare monastery, it was founded in the 13th …
Postcard: A Windmill in Gironde – A moulin à vent en Gironde
As you can see, this is a very different windmill from the post mills we have in the Loire. Comme vous pouvez voir, ce moulin est très différent des moulins cavier qu’on trouve partout dans la vallée de la Loire.
The Castle Dovecote – Le colombier du château
This magnificent dovecote was once part of the castle in Saint-Denis-sur-Loire. Unfortunately it is gradually disintegrating and it doesn’t seem that there is a project underway to save it. Ce magnifique colombier faisait partie du château de Saint-Denis-sur-Loire. Malheureusement il est en train de s’écrouler et il ne semble pas de projet pour le sauver.
Château de Saint-Denis-sur-Loire
Saint-Denis Castle goes back to the middle ages. The original stronghold was bought by the Hurault family in 1341 and converted into an elegant manor house. The base of the old fort has been preserved and forms a terrace. The bill of sale mentions the presence of a thermal spring. After Catherine de Médicis was crowned …